Reviews & Analysis

Interest in protein-based fibers is driven by their unique properties, including biocompatibility and biodegradability. This Review summarizes the synthesis and properties of biomimetic protein fibers, such as keratin, collagen, elastin and silk fibers, and their application in energy, air and water treatment, and biomedical uses.

A key aspect of wearable devices used in personal health monitoring are the electrodes that make contact with the skin. This Review discusses how the materials and structure of electrodes used in these devices are vital to their performance, including how altering these factors might optimize their function.

Biomedicinal applications of metal-organic frameworks have mainly focused on nanoscale drug delivery. This Perspective provides an overview of reproducibility issues faced when applying metal-organic framework in nanomedicine, specifically covering their preparation and in vitro analysis.

Sulfide-based solid electrolyte films with high room-temperature ionic conductivity will boost the energy density of all-solid-state batteries. This Review covers the preparation methods and properties of sulfide-based composite electrolytes, while guiding future development.

Human breath contains a vast amount of information that might be used to indicate respiratory and cardiovascular health. This Review summarizes and discusses recent advances in wearable breath sensors for monitoring breath temperature, humidity and airflow, as well as biomarker presence.

There is growing interest in biosensors that detect biomarkers in interstitial fluid. This Review provides an overview of recent developments on interstitial fluid biosensors, including device fabrication and sensing mechanisms, and outstanding challenges faced.

Three-dimensional silicon-based lithium-ion microbatteries have potential use in miniaturized electronics that require independent energy storage. Here, their developments are discussed in terms of their material compatibility, cell designs, fabrication methods, and performance in various applications.

Wearable electronics provide opportunities for personalized health monitoring and treatment. This Perspective addresses challenges in the field, including material selection for devices, device integration strategies, and public adoption factors.

Plasmonic nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, efficiently deliver light to target cells for neuromodulation that is less invasive and has higher spatial resolution than common electrical methods. This review covers recent developments in the use of plasmonics for neuroengineering.

The effect of morphology-focused modifications is often overlooked despite their impact on battery applications. Here, the morphological relationship of ternary layered oxide cathodes to their electrochemical performance is Reviewed, with guidance suggested for their design and commercialization.

Raman spectroscopy is a popular non-destructive characterisation technique, but its application to electroceramics is under-represented compared to other fields. In this review, the latest instrumentational and computational advances are discussed, suggesting key advantages in the study of electroceramics.

The design and manufacture of materials that replicate the form, function, and sustainability of biological solutions remains difficult. Here, key challenges and promising approaches to materials development informed by biology are identified.

Fiber-reinforced polymer composites have found widespread use in critical engineering applications. Here, the use of simulations to understand the mechanical durability of polymer composites across a range of length scales is reviewed, with a focus on molecular dynamics simulations.

Transmembrane signaling systems are present in living cells which receive cues from the environment and produce a cellular response. Here, recent advances in the design of bioinspired systems that mimic transmembrane signaling in synthetic and living cells are reviewed.

There is great interest in commercializing perovskite solar cells, however, the presence of defects and trap states hinder their performance. Here, recent developments in characterization techniques to investigate defects and ion migration in halide perovskites are reviewed.

Aqueous batteries are emerging as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries. In this Review, the challenges and recent strategies for various aqueous battery systems are discussed with key factors needing the most improvement highlighted.

Scintillators are materials of great interest for versatile and fast radiation detection systems. This Review discusses recent advances and strategies to improve the light yield, decay time, and coincidence timing resolution of all-inorganic and hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite scintillators.

High-entropy materials have been realized in a wide number of alloys and ceramics, usually in bulk form. This Perspective discusses the emerging field of two-dimensional high-entropy materials, focusing on their formation, structure and applications.

Lead-based relaxor ferroelectrics are known for their large piezoelectric response, but the relation between the response and the nanoscale structure of these materials is still under debate. In this Perspective, the microscopic implications of the polar nature of disordered relaxor ferroelectrics are critically reviewed.

Electrolytes are a key component of a battery and therefore receive extensive research interest. This Perspective discusses how to ensure that reports of non-aqueous electrolyte solutions for lithium batteries are reliable and can be reproduced by others.